Recent posts by M.K. Dorje Jr.

That looks exactly like Ganoderma applanatum- the Artist's Conk or Ancient Ling Chih. I have been harvesting and making a tea from these mushrooms for over 20 years. I have a field test- if the pore layer on the underside is white, scratch it with your fingernail. If it stains dark brown and you can inscribe your initials in it, then you almost certainly have a Ganoderma. The spores should be a brown color, but be careful not to breathe them, because some folks are allergic to the spores. I always dry mine outdoors in the sun, away from the house. The tea has many medicinal properties.

Of course, it's always a good idea for beginners to reconfirm their finds with a local expert before ingesting them, rather than relying solely on internet photos and unknown people.

Nameko (Pholiota nameko), is a very flavorful mushroom popular in Japan. Although I've never grown this species, I've read that it does well on cherry logs. Field and Forest Products (fieldforest.net) has spawn for this species, along with info on how to grow it on logs. I'd guess that Oyster Mushrooms would grow on cherry logs as well. Good luck!

Thank you Camille. I'm interested in hearing more about these weevils, and just how effective they might be as a long-term control solution for these plants. But I also want to make sure these beneficial insects (weevils) don't wind up causing a whole new set of problems.

Sepp Holzer uses broom as a companion plant for chestnut trees. He actually plants broom seeds next to his chestnuts! However, in the Pacific Northwest, I would not recommend planting broom for any reason! On my farm, I cut the broom in the late winter and early spring, then use it to mulch my chestnuts, filberts and pawpaw trees. Pawpaws seem to love it and my seedling pawpaws began flowering and fruiting after a few years of mulching with Scotch broom.
I would like to hear more about the seed weevil and if they actually help control the spread of this plant in the Northwest. (Also, does the broom weevil eat pea seeds?- I have a terrible problem with weevils in my pea seeds when I try saving them.) Anyone out there have experience with "Broom weevils" as a beneficial insect?

Brad, I have been studying truffle cultivation for several years now and have some Oregon White Truffles on my property. I recently attended classes by Charles Lefevre, who is the leading expert on truffle cultivation in the Northwest.

Cultivation of European truffles in the Pacific Northwest is not easy, and only a handful of people have succeeded. Cultivation and semi-cultivation of native Oregon White Truffles on Douglas-fir is much easier. Many people are now planting a combination of native and European species on their farms. Be sure to check out Dr. Lefevre's website (truffletree.com) which has lots of info about cultivation of truffles. "Taming the Truffle", by Ian Hill, Gordon Brown and Alessandra Zambonelli, is an excellent book for truffle cultivators. Classes by Dr. Lefevre and friends are held at community colleges (cheap) and at the Oregon Truffle Festival (expensive).

Lefevre and Hall both mention the importance of starting a new European truffle orchard in an open field that is located far, far away from any trees. (That's why my place wouldn't work for European ones.) Also, a LOT of lime is needed for the European truffles- 25-30 tons of lime per acre- that's an entire semi-truck full. Hope this info helps...

I agree with Alder, they both look like chanterelles to me, too. The yellow one looks a lot like the Golden Chanterelle, also known as Cantharellus cibarius. The reddish one looks like Cantharellus cinnabarinus, the Red Chanterelle. Judith Browning found a bunch of these a while back, check out her photos: